The present invention relates to an armored interconnection for optical cable and pertains, more particularly, to an armored interconnection providing a single low strength splice for an optical cable directed to a dual payout system optical fiber data link between an aircraft and missile. The armored interconnection of this invention is an improvement over and has advantages to the conventional multiple high strength splices, and provides substantially the same structural integrity and low optical attenuation characteristics.
With conventional high strength fiber optic cables it is generally necessary to provide a standard commercially available section of jacketed materials including a KEVLAR brand strength member. The strength member is typically modified and spliced between two payout bobbins with two high strength splices. This configuration requires multiple splices to attach the armored section to the payout bobbins.
Another drawback associated with the conventional fiber splice arrangement is that these very expensive and labor intensive splices often require numerous splice attempts in order to obtain one acceptable splice. As the fiber is unwound to accomplish the splices a number of loose coils of fiber are created on the bobbins. These loose coils have the drawback in that they tend to cause optic fiber failures during the initial fiber payout as the fiber unwinds
High strength fiber splices have as additional drawbacks the tendency to be unreliable for a number of other reasons. For example due to excess handling, and reduction in strength at a heat affected zone that occurs in a fiber as a result of the splicing process. These and other drawbacks associated with obtaining reliable high strength splices are contributing factors to the inability or difficulty to find individuals or companies willing to attempt to overcome the inherent drawbacks.